


The Succubus

by The_True_Child



Category: South Park
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Break Up, Bullying, Cheating, Child Abuse, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, High School, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Lemon, M/M, Mental Breakdown, Mental Health Issues, One-Sided Attraction, Possible Lemon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-01-26 11:19:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12556280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_True_Child/pseuds/The_True_Child
Summary: Tweek knew he shouldn't have loved him.Craig Tucker. The tall, dark and brooding boy who he'd known since elementary school. He was an absolute jackass and a heartbreaker, but he loved him.Craig had his eyes set on Bebe Stevens. When Tweek saw her, he was disgusted. She definitely had a thing for Wendy, right? That was a pretty commonly-known thing at that point. But underneath his ruggedly handsome and douchy exterior, Craig was naive.A toy for Bebe to play with for her own amusement.And poor Tweek Tweak was the only one who knew about it.





	1. Sweet Like Candy

Life for Tweek Tweak definitely sucked.

Aside from working for druggies hiding in a coffee shop in a small mountain town, he was alone. Most of his human contact came from working, and definitely not at school. He was the town spaz, courtesy of Eric Cartman, and he hated being in a place where people judged him for it.

Tweek hated high school. Maybe people should've been used to him, but they weren't. They still gave him dirty looks and called him things like "Twitch". Thanks again, Cartman. But the hellish people and the insensitive bullying weren't the worst parts. The worst parts lied in a group who he used to call his friends.

They all abandoned him in 7th grade, and it was mostly his fault. Tweek let himself get too close. He opened himself up, but the other kids couldn't handle his numerous problems and threw him to the side. Eventually, he had nowhere to sit at lunch, no one to study with, and no one to walk home with. Tweek Tweak was alone.

Every day, it was all the same. Wake up. Go to school. Stare at Craig Tucker during biology. Go home. Homework. Help his parents with the coffee shop. Go to bed. Repeat.

Craig Tucker.

His name sent chills down Tweek's spine whenever he thought of it, but whenever he walked by, he couldn't look away. He was the asshole of Room #105. A delinquent, a heartbreaker, a smoker, a joyrider, a cold-hearted monster of a boy. And he was Tweek's long-time crush since 4th grade.

Tweek remembered when Craig still had light in his eyes. He laughed and smiled, making Tweek do the same. He'd invite Tweek to his parties and get-togethers with his friends, and all of them seemed to get along. He made Tweek feel welcome before, but now, all he did when Tweek was around was give him a cold and ruthless stare. Sometimes, he'd flip him off, but that wasn't surprising.

Tweek was snapped out of his thoughts when the bell rang, signalling the end of 3rd period. Shaking his head, he slid his backpack on and picked up his things. His biology class was 3 floors up. Taking in a deep breath, he ran out the door and through the halls. It got tougher when he reached the stairs, but because he was quick, he made it to biology before anyone else.

Another successful trip, Tweek thought, taking off his backpack and letting it fall next to his desk. His hands shook as he took out his textbook and homework. As kids flooded into the classroom, Tweek kept his head down to avoid eye contact. He soon realized that he'd forgotten to put his name on his work, so he took out a pencil and wrote his name down. His handwriting still resembled a child's, but at least it wasn't as shaky as it used to be.

The bell rang once more, but the teacher waited, being fully aware of what would happen next. Just a minute later, Craig came walking through the door with a smirk tugging at his lips. He found his seat, sat down, and rested his legs up on his desk.

The teacher sighed. "Another referral, Tucker?" he mumbled, sounding unamused.

"Aw. Sorry, teach," Craig said back with obvious snark in his voice. Like a cherry on top, he flipped the teacher off and leaned further back in his chair. The teacher just sighed again and started his lesson. Craig didn't pay any mind and just shoved a stick of gum in his mouth.

Tweek tried to pay attention to what the teacher was saying, but the smell of cologne and tobacco wafting off of Craig was distracting him. Tweek's gaze quickly shifted towards Craig and he was immediately charmed by him. He constantly cursed himself in his mind for thinking of him like this. It was stupid. Craig was a good-for-nothing idiot who hated him just because his friends did.

Tweek, however, could only think back to the good side of Craig he used to know. Handsome, smart, funny, and sweet. Why did Tweek still find himself to be attracted to Craig after all these years? He was, of course, still hot as hell, but Tweek wasn't that shallow. He just liked Craig Tucker for being Craig Tucker.

Halfway through the period, they were all given a small break. Tweek quickly looked away so he wouldn't be caught staring. He knew Craig hated him now, even if he didn't have a reason to. It was completely unfair.

Suddenly, he saw a girl rush into the classroom, tackling Craig in a hug. She smelled like fruity perfume and sweets. Her hair was long and golden blonde, reaching down to her waist in shiny curls. Tweek scowled when he saw her. It was Bebe, Craig's little side chick, and Tweek hated her. Everyone knew that she had a thing for Wendy Testaburger, her best friend. But she had a weirdly impressive track record for breaking boy's hearts and playing with them like toys.

No one seemed to see it whenever it happened. Bebe did anything she could to make her affection look genuine, and it worked on everyone. Except Tweek. He wasn't brainwashed by her good looks and sweet-sounding voice. He saw how she lured Craig into her traps, fooled him with charms. Tweek wanted to stop her. He wanted to get up and smack her right there before she took Craig away from him.

Tweek hated Bebe Stevens.


	2. Definitely Not A Meth Lab

A glare formed on Tweek's face when Bebe started to become more touchy-feely with Craig.

Her hands were obviously very soft and smooth. Tweek thought about that as she slid them around Craig's shoulders. She moved with grace and beauty, and anyone could see why boys were so infatuated with her. Tweek wished he could find a physical flaw in her doll-like face and beauty. A crack. A blemish.  _Something._

Even though his voice never really conveyed emotion, Craig was smiling at Bebe and laughing with her like a playful child would. It was similar to how he used to smile. That was before he started hanging out with Kenny more. Before Clyde's mom died. Before Tweek was kicked out of the group. Before Craig got a crush on Bebe.

"I'll wait outside after school, okay?" Bebe chirped, giving Craig a quick peck on the cheek. His face flushed a light red color before he nodded.

"Yeah. You gonna catch a ride with us again?" Craig asked, his voice never even changing by a single pitch.

"You know it!" And just like that, Bebe was practically skipping out of the room, her golden locks trailing behind her. Tweek caught another wiff of her sweet perfume and sighed. She probably made Craig smell this way, too. Such a shame, he thought. Looking down at his own plain clothes, he lifted his sleeve to his nose and immediately smelled the overwhelming coffee bean scent that was always there. He didn't mind, though. Coffee always smelled nice to him.

The rest of that period flew by very quickly. Yet again, Tweek found himself unable to focus from being lost in his own little world. He was sure to leave after Craig did, a little after the bell rang to signal the end of 4th period. He'd slowed down by a lot since that morning. His tiny and thin stature moved through the halls like a zombie, and many kids bumped into him. Tweek didn't notice until he'd fallen over and hit his head against a locker.

"G-Gah!" he shrieked in pain, trying to avoid getting trampled. That hurt. A lot. Of course, no one even batted an eye and just kept walking. The crowd around Tweek seemed to never end, and he was shaking and twitching all over again. His anxiety went up like a rocket.

"Hey, you okay?" Tweek finally heard someone ask. He frantically looked up, seeing the concerned face of Clyde Donovan. He was holding his hand out.

"You fell pretty hard..." Clyde said, helping Tweek to his feet. "Are you hurt?"

"GAH! N-No! I'm fine!" Tweek stuttered, finally getting his balance back. "Thanks, Clyde..."

Clyde smiled sweetly at him, brushing some dirt off of Tweek's shoulders. "No problem.....buuuuut....I think I'll escort you to lunch, just to be sure."

"What?!" Tweek questioned in a panic. No, he thought. No no no, he can't do that. "I mean...I'll be just fine on my own, Clyde."

"I insist!" Clyde declared. Before Tweek could protest further, he grabbed his hand and quickly tugged him along as they both ran to the lunchroom. Tweek flailed his arms, letting out little grunts all the way there. Clyde didn't pay any attention to that and only stopped when they were in the middle of the lunchroom. Tweek was tugging on his sleeves in an attempt to calm himself.

"Okay, where do you sit?" Clyde asked, looking all around.

"U-Uh! I uh..." Tweek looked around too, trying to find an empty table. He let out a sigh of defeat when he couldn't see one. Then again, his height didn't really help with that. "Nng..no tables are empty..." he finally forced out.

Clyde looked down sadly, realizing why Tweek said that. He never really liked how everyone pushed him to the side years ago. "....Come and sit with us, dude."

Tweek was taken aback and nearly jumped in the air. "W-What?!" he sputtered. "B-But I...I'm not-"

"Just come on," Clyde told him, grabbing Tweek's hand again and practically dragged him to the group's table. Token was the first one to look up at the shaking and stuttering display approaching them.

"Tweek...?" the boy questioned. This got everyone else to turn their heads in Tweek's direction. Craig let out a heavy sigh when he saw him.

"Argh...uh...h-h-hi..." Tweek said, quickly staring at the ground. He hated this. He hated that he was forced into this situation. He hated how Clyde was probably only bringing him into it out of pity. Tweek hated pity.

"Uh...hey," Token said nonchalantly. "Here, come sit in between Clyde and I." Tweek was incredibly hesitant, but he complied and slid into one of the chairs surrounding the round table. Clyde sat down on the right of him. Craig was obviously trying hard not to pay attention. Instead, he kept playing with the metal zipper on his hoodie, dragging it up and down. It was making Tweek anxious.

"Gah!" he burst out, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. Craig wasn't phased by the little outburst, at least, he didn't seem like it. He was too focused on the small metal object. "Erm...hi, Craig..." Tweek managed.

"Hey, Tweek." His voice was as unchanging and nasally as ever. "Didn't think you'd ever come back." Tweek looked down shyly, listening to the sound of the zipper being pulled around. It kept clicking against Craig's short and stubby fingernails.

"Found him in the hallway," Clyde informed the group, pulling open a bag of chips and stuffing some in his mouth. "He nearly got trampled. Poor little guy."

Tweek flinched at the word.  _Little._ He hated being called small, but he managed a smile anyway. Clyde practically saved his ass back there. Tweek looked around at the group again. Craig looked uncomfortable, too, but he also looked like he was contemplating something. What if he really just wanted him to leave? What if he was minutes from punching Tweek in the face?

"Wow, Clyde the superhero," Token said, breaking the silence. He nudged Clyde in the arm and smiled.

"If he was a superhero, he'd have waaaaay more chicks," Craig added. Token burst out laughing, while Clyde frowned at the comment.

"Think about it, dude," Craig continued. "Bitches love to be protected."

 

*********

Tweek got home a little later than usual. He was busy watching as Craig, Token, Clyde and Bebe sped off in Craig's van. Because of this, he arrived at home 10 minutes late. Not that his parents noticed. When Tweek walked inside, he spotted his father on the couch, sipping a large mug of coffee and flipping through a newspaper. His mother was on her feet, rushing around to clean the kitchen and wipe up nonexistent messes. Tweek didn't want to disturb them, so he slipped up to his room.

The messiest place in the house, besides the garage.

Once he was inside the comforting confines of his bedroom, Tweek threw his heavy backpack off and leaned onto his bed. He pressed his face against a pillow, wanting to scream into it to relieve some of the pressure spinning around in his head. Craig actually acknowledged his existence without being a huge dick about it. It could've been because his friends were there, but Tweek still felt good.

Tweek reached out and grabbed the cold cup of coffee he left out for himself that morning. He didn't really want to go downstairs and see his parents again, so he drank what he had. The caffeine was quickly able to calm his nerves.

Tweek used to let his parents make coffee for him, but not since he found out what was in it back in 4th grade. His parents were hardcore drug addicts who slipped it into the coffee. Luckily, Tweek told this to what friends he had back then, so none of them ever bought drinks from Tweek Bro's again. Craig was the first one Tweek told about his parents drug habits and their tendencies to be neglectful. Even with them separating, Craig never told a soul, just like he promised.

Tweek wished he could have that with Craig again. He wanted it more than anything. He wanted to feel his warm embrace and hear the calm voice he used to sooth Tweek's anxiety. Bebe didn't deserve to have that, but then again, he didn't either.


	3. Long Awaited Apology

The next day, Tweek found himself being followed around by Clyde for hours after lunch.

He still wasn't sure if it was pity or real concern. It felt nice, but also...strange. He hadn't communicated with the boy in over 5 years, but now, he suddenly cared for him. Towards the end of the day, they even went to study hall together. If you could even call it that. Kids were supposed to be doing homework, but it was completely unsupervised, so they usually just talked with their friends the whole time. Clyde dragged Tweek over to where the group hung out. It was a small corner of the library, and it was cozy enough for the 4 of them to hang out.

That's not including Kenny McCormick, who would stick around sometimes. He was friends with Craig, so even though Clyde and Token didn't really like him, they had to deal with him almost every day. Tweek wasn't sure what to think of him. He was preverted and could be a little too touchy-feely for his liking, but he definitely wasn't a bad guy. "Hey, look!" Kenny called when Tweek and Clyde walked over. "It's Twitch! How's it going, Twitch?"

Tweek didn't like that nickname, but pushed through that. "U-Uh..." he started. "It's going......good..." Craig shot Kenny a glare and gave Tweek a little nod of acknowledgement. That sent a feeling of warmth through Tweek's chest.

"Don't call him Twitch," Craig told the scruffy-haired blonde boy, who slapped him on the back with a laugh. "No, I mean it. He doesn't like that."

"I-It's fine, Craig..." Tweek muttered, smiling a little to himself. Kenny let out a groan and sat down on the table. He didn't seem to care much for what people liked.

Surprisingly, Token was the next one to speak up. He seemed cheerful that day. "Hey Craig, Bebe's here," he said, motioning towards the girl running towards them. Tweek let out a small whine when he saw her. She looked as happy as ever.

"Craig!" she called happily. With a big smile, she pulled him into a warm hug. Craig smiled a little back as she pulled away from him. "Oh, you're hanging out with Tweek again?"

Craig shrugged. "Guess we are." Clyde and Token nodded, and Kenny snickered a little. Tweek was left feeling more awkward and confused.

"That's great!" Bebe exclaimed. She walked over to Tweek, her heels making a clacking sound against the floor. Tweek's lip quivered nervously as she patted him on the head. His hair sprang back up afterwards. "Glad to see you back around Craig, Tweek. You two were so close before, and it was painful to see you two separate from each other." Bebe frowned at her own comment, waiting for a reaction from the small boy.

"O-Oh...yeah..." Tweek managed with a forceful smile. "T-Thank you, Bebe."

Bebe smiled and sat next to Craig, gently placing her red purse on the ground next to her. Her sweet attitude grossed Tweek out. He knew how absolutely fake it was. Without realizing it, his whole body started to shake and tremble. Craig looked at him, visibly worried.

Then, he said something unexpected.

"Tweek, come to the bathroom with me." Tweek perked his head up, still shaking. Guys didn't usually go to the bathroom together. It was normally a girl thing. Even so...Tweek wouldn't dare miss an opportunity to be alone with Craig Tucker. He nodded, and without hesitation, Craig stood up and grabbed his hand. They both ran off, leaving the disappointed Bebe behind.

 

*********

Craig didn't say anything at first, and instead, he just washed his hands and stared at Tweek in the mirror. His gaze was both haunting and entrancing at the same time. Tweek shivered, quickly looking down. It took over 5 minutes for Craig to finish and approach Tweek again.

Tweek expected Craig to hit him. He was surprised when he didn't. He only placed his clean hands on Tweek's face, slowly calming the boy. In his same robotic voice, he let out a small "I'm sorry."

"E...Eh..?" Tweek questioned, not fully sure if he heard that right.

"I'm sorry," Craig repeated. Tweek was about to ask why, but he stopped and waited. Craig started talking again after a moment of silence. "I never should've left. Are you okay? Has anyone tried to hurt you?"

Tweek was baffled by this, and he found himself unable to speak. Craig was concerned for his well-being. He subtly scratched at one of his arms to make sure it wasn't a dream, but this was positively real. They were both in the bathroom, and Craig was really and truly apologizing for what he did all those years ago. Tweek shook his head, realizing that he hadn't spoken in a few minutes.

"A...Aside from Cartman being himself, I'm fine," he said. Craig's stern face was left unchanged, and the hands on Tweek's face hadn't moved. The only thing about him that changed was his lip, which had curled into a scowl after a minute or two.

"If that fat fuck wants to try something, he'll have to face me first," Craig grumbled. "Tweek.....I'm just letting you know, I don't hate you. We were best friends, right?"

Tweek nodded eagerly, allowing himself to smile up at Craig. Craig flashed him a little smirk and gave him a nod of approval. Like that, Tweek knew that the bond between them was finally starting to be healed. Craig let go of Tweek's face and opened the bathroom door. "Come on. Kenny might get pissy if we keep him waiting for too long."


	4. Her Majesty

Bebe greeted the two boys with a tooth-rottingly sweet smile.

"Now you can't tease me for bringing my friends to the bathroom, Craig!" she exclaimed, hugging the boy in front of her. Craig smiled a little, but brushed her off and walked off to join the guys. Tweek and Bebe followed close behind him, with the latter clinging to his right arm. Tweek felt like he was hidden under the shadow of a giant. Two giants, really. Even Bebe was taller than him.

Kenny was tapping a pencil against the table with a notebook in front of him. Occasionally, he'd write something down. Tweek wasn't sure what to make of this, but soon realized what he was doing when Clyde mouthed the word "music" in his direction. Kenny was a songwriter. This was baffling. The scrawny orange lump didn't seem like the creative type, much less a music nerd.

Bebe leaned over the desk, listening closely to Kenny's tapping and humming. She jumped in to give him ideas time to time, but overall, she was just enjoying the show. Tweek tried to listen from where he sat. The tapping was in a soft but quick rhythm, and he couldn't hear what the humming sounded like. Not clearly, anyway. He wanted to ask what type of music he made. It couldn't have been something like country or rap. That definitely wasn't Kenny's thing.

As if reading his mind, Craig spoke up. "He makes rock music," he told the smaller boy. "He's as dumb as a bag of hammers, but his music is cool."

Tweek nodded. That definitely seemed fitting. "D..Do you make any music, Craig?"

Craig let out a small laugh, but it didn't seem genuine. There was a hint of pain behind it. "Me? Music?" he questioned, as if it was the strangest thing he'd heard in his life. "I'm not talented enough for that shit. No way. Besides, that junk's for hippies like Ken."

"Oh...w-well, I'm sure you've still got some hobbies," Tweek added. Craig sighed and stared at the wall for a minute or two. Tweek hated silences like this because he could practically feel all the tension in the room. Even if that tension was made up in his head, it still echoed inside him. That, and his constant heartbeat, which was so loud in his ears that he was surprised no one else could hear it. Tweek kept glancing at Craig, waiting for him to talk. 

"Space," he finally exhaled. "I like space."

Tweek's nails were digging into the edge of his sleeves. He wasn't sure why, as the tension had died down. He just shrugged it off. These little things were just considered habits now. "Space? Like..outer space?"

This made Craig smile. "Yeah. The solar system. I just...know something else is out there. More than this hick town, more than this shitty Earth. I wanna see it."

"B-But- GAH! What if t-there's aliens that take you away?!" Tweek sputtered. "They could...probe you, or take you so far that you could never come back!"

Craig let out a soft hum, contemplating Tweek's words. He was so hard to read, like a big gentle monster. But while he didn't show much emotion, Tweek saw that he was definitely thinking. There was a soft light in his eyes that would be hard to see if you didn't look close enough. Craig always took a lot of time to think about things.

"I'd like that," he said. "Maybe they'll hurt me, but at least I'll get to say I got away from here."

 

*********

This time, Tweek didn't have to watch as the group drove away. Token was the first to offer him a ride in the big van. Unexpectedly, there was hardly any retaliation. Bebe even encouraged it. The only backlash Tweek got was a comment from Kenny about how he smelled too much like espresso beans. Craig got him back, saying that HE smelled too much like booze and cannabis. Kenny shut up after that.

Tweek sat in between Clyde and Token, with Kenny sprawled out in the middle row. Craig drove, and Her Royal Highness Bebe sat in the passenger seat. Tweek rolled his eyes when he saw her climb into the car. Of course Miss Princess would get to sit next to Craig. Of course.

The ride was never boring for a single second. Clyde and Token talked endlessly with Tweek, bombarding him with questions about how he'd been. Kenny insisted that Craig blasted his music through the crappy speakers, and Bebe opened the window so they made extra noise. Whenever a song played that the boys especially liked, Clyde and Token would scream-sing along. Kenny lied there with his arms crossed, a look of pride spreading across his face.

"I-Is...it always this exciting in here?" Tweek asked. He was a little anxious, but he was having fun.

"Hell yeah!" Clyde exclaimed with a grin.

"Pretty much," Token added in. "No reason to make the ride home boring, right?" Tweek nodded happily, leaning his head against the window. He was quiet for the rest of the ride so he could take in all the noise. Everyone was laughing and having a good time. It was just like they were kids again. Tweek guessed that the group never gave that up.

It was a funny thought. The boys were forced to grow up so fast, and bad things had happened to all of them. But even when the odds for a nice adulthood were stacked against them, they still had fun. They still smiled. They were still like brothers.

And with that thought in mind, Tweek smiled too.


	5. Sins Of The Father

"Shut up, you stupid bitch!"

Craig could hear his parents screaming from outside. Letting out a sigh, he quickly opened the front door and walked in. The loud, passionate arguing echoed throughout his house. Mr. and Mrs. Tucker didn't seem to notice their son slowly walking towards the stairs. Craig was about to hurry to his room, but stopped when he reached the first step.

Right next to his feet, Ruby sat there with her hands covering her ears. She looked cold, like she was used to the situation, but Craig instantly recognized that she was hurting. It only took him a few seconds. Without hesitation, Craig dropped his heavy backpack next to the stairs and lifted the 14 year old where it once sat. After he gently tapped Ruby on the back, he received a nod and they practically flew up the steps.

Once they were in the room, Craig carefully keeled down and lowered Ruby to her feet. She brushed off her knees, giving her brother another small nod of thanks and sitting on the edge of his bed. Craig sat next to her, not daring to break the silence. Instead, he pulled out his phone. He searched for something on it for a few moments before sticking an earbud in his left ear. He handed Ruby the right one, making sure the volume wasn't too loud for her.

The yelling seemed to fade away as they both became consumed by the music. Craig made sure to choose a special one, where the quick drum beats and loud twangs of the guitar weren't as intense. Kenny's gruff and mellow voice filled the room. Filled their heads. Every word that escaped the blonde boy's lips was filled with meaning, and they were soon able to calm the brother and sister. The voice of their deadbeat dad was long gone.

 

_Give me the strength to find a way,_

_So I can make it another day._

_Let me remember when the sky was blue,_

_When I didn't have to sing songs for you._

_Let me escape._

_Just let me go._

 

*********

"Nicole sent me another text last night..." Token muttered bashfully. This spawned a sea of oohs and ahs from the small group. Clyde smirked and elbowed him in the side, moving his eyebrows up and down.

"Oooh, what'd it say?" he chirped. Token blushed a little and looked down at his phone, not really wanting to reveal the contents of the message. When Clyde realized what it was, he bursted out laughing, almost choking on a flimsy French fry.

"GAH! D-Did she send nudes?!" Tweek let out anxiously. This pulled a little laugh out of Craig, who'd been sitting there and enjoying the show. Bebe smiled, but shook her head in disapproval.

"H-Holy shit, no! What the fuck, Tweek?!" Token shouted back, hiding his face in his jacket. Clyde looked like he was about to piss himself from laughing so hard. Craig snorted when he saw a little bit of chocolate milk come out of his nose.

"I bet she's hella sexy under that cheerleading uniform, Token," he spat out. This only made Token blush more. Tweek actually chuckled a little when he heard that, remembering when Craig called Nicole ugly back in 5th grade. This was definitely a ploy to piss Token off. It was funny until Tweek saw Bebe's reaction.

"Hey!" she shouted, smacking Craig upside the head. "Don't say that about one of my girlfriends!" Without really thinking about it, Tweek let out a little growl. No, he thought. Stop. Don't hit  _my_ Craig. The girl didn't seem to hear him, because she was still pouting about it.

"Hey, chill," Craig retaliated. "It was a joke. Token's bitch isn't that cute."

"Craig!" Token yelled, looking heated himself. The whole situation was incredibly embarassing for him, and anyone could see why. Oh well, at least he got something no one else in the group officially had. "Look, it wasn't nudes! She......She asked me to-"

"G-Go down on her?" Tweek butted in with a giggle. Teasing his friend was fun.

"No!" Token said defensively, clutching his phone to his chest. "She...asked me to go on a date with her. At least, I think it's gonna be a date. We're going to the movies."

"Woah, look at Token!" Clyde proclaimed. "I knew you could beat the beast to it! Nice, bro!" Craig flipped the brunette off. Tweek assumed that he was the "beast." That made him smile. "Hey, I'm just congratulating my best friend." Clyde defended himself.

"You don't have to rub it in that I haven't gone on a date yet," Craig snapped. "It ain't my fault, dumbfuck." This seemed to summon a smile from Bebe, which made Tweek jealous.

"Then just make out with Bebe already, dude," Clyde concluded. Tweek's eyes widened at that, anxiety filling his body. The thought of watching Craig grace Bebe with a kiss made him sick. She didn't deserve his touch. That bitch didn't love Craig like he did.

Tweek looked over at Craig, who's expression had become conflicted. A frown adorned his face, and it was clear that his eyes were darting back and forth. The sweet smile on Bebe's face pushed more pressure on him as more seconds passed. Finally, when it seemed like a century later, he made a move. Much to Tweek's demise, he planted a little kiss on Bebe's cheek.

She smiled even more. Tweek wanted to throw up.

"Oh daaaamn!" Clyde whistled, patting Craig on the back. Craig allowed himself to smile a little, but there wasn't much meaning behind it. He just wanted the pressure to make moves on Bebe to stop. He knew that they might as well be dating at that point, but he wanted to take his time. He wasn't fully sure how he felt about her yet.

"Oh, you pussy," Token scoffed. "Kiss her again, Craig!"

Tweek's whole body began to tremble, and he felt like passing out right there. His head hurt. His chest hurt. He wanted to scream. As his eyes rushed around to look at everyone, he made sudden eye contact with Craig. This nearly made his heart stop. Craig seemed to realize what was going on, because a few seconds later, Tweek felt his big hand rest on top of his from under the table.

He was soon greeted by a lovely warmth, the small amount of shared body heat making a huge difference. He suddenly felt much calmer than before. Then, like a cherry on top, Craig said exactly what Tweek wanted to hear.

"Nah," he told Token. "I think I'll pass."


	6. Craig Tucker: The Monstrous Ninja

"Dude, what the fuck? Why?" Token asked, looking confused. "You two are practically married at this point. Why don't you have the guts to kiss her?"

"I just...don't want to right now, okay? Damn!" Craig spat back, tightly clenching Tweek's hand. He could feel the smaller boy's quick pulse get even faster. Token shook his head in defeat, not wanting to anger Craig. That was a trap and he knew it. "Don't know why you're making such a big deal out of it," Craig mumbled, looking away.

"Oh come on, Craig," Bebe pushed, trailing one of her thin fingers down the line of his back. Craig bit his lip, forcing his eyes shut and not making a sound. He just kept holding Tweek's hand while he tried to ignore her. "I don't bite." That last line was enough to drive Tweek crazy. He couldn't take it anymore. Almost on the verge of tears, he let Craig's hand slip out of his grasp as he ran away. He didn't listen to Craig's calls out to him, either, but he was sure he could see Bebe smirking from the corner of his eye. Not stopping when he left the lunchroom, Tweek struggled to open the front door with his slender arms and rushed out of the school. He didn't bother to look back even then.

 

*********

As he predicted, Tweek's mom didn't even notice when he came home a few hours early. She seemed to be putting some kind of baked good into the oven. It smelled like cinnamon and cream cheese. Tweek was about to smile when he remembered that he was supposed to be mad, not enjoying the smell of his mother's baking, then moped up to his room. His head was bowed and he was staring at the carpeted floor until he entered his dark little chamber. Walking to his bed, he scooped up a teddy bear from the ground and clutched it to his chest.

His bed greeted him with warmth, comfort, and the smell of hot caramel coffee with 3 cream and sugar packets. That'd been what Tweek treated himself to whenever he needed to relax, and he usually spilled some on his bed from shaking too much. There were numerous stains decorating his sheets. His mother would definitely freak out if she knew about the little imperfections on the white cotton.

A few tears dripped down Tweek's face, landing perfectly on the stuffed bear's nose. They seemed to make it sparkle. He thought about that as he squeezed the toy even tighter. Unfortunately, it was failing to calm him down. The way Token pushed Craig to kiss Bebe. The way she made Craig swoon and tremble under her touch. The way she smirked and laughed at Tweek behind his back. It sickened Tweek down to his core and he wished he could do something about it. He wanted to get in Bebe's face and tell her to leave  Craig alone.

The only good thing about the whole thing was how considerate Craig was being. He couldn't possibly know about Tweek's crush on him, but he did pick up that he was uncomfortable and was trying really hard to ease it. The thought made Tweek's heart flutter. He never imagined that Craig would come back to him, and now he was there, still compassionate and caring as ever. He wasn't the monster everyone thought he was. He was a boy with dreams and hopes and wishes. He cared for his friends, cracking jokes and having fun with them. He was still the 10 year old boy Tweek fell in love with, trapped in the body of an asshole metalhead with an attitude that'd make your grandma cry.

He was still Tweek's best friend.

Tweek was still sobbing to himself, but he finally stopped shaking and let himself lie down. He had a long day.

 

*********

Tweek woke up to a light tapping on his window. Scared, he shot out of bed, gently holding the stuffed animal in his arms. His body was back to twitching again. "GAH! W-Who's there??" he stuttered, carefully standing up. Oh God, Tweek thought. What if the underpants gnomes are back? What if it's a terrorist? What if Mr. Garrison finally came back to South Park to finish him off? What if-

His thoughts were cut off to another tap. It was like whatever--or whoever--it was wanted to stay quiet. Finally, Tweek walked over to the window, opening the curtains and looking out. Shock filled him as he saw the stern but caring face of Craig Tucker staring back at him. Quickly, he opened the window, letting the tall boy crawl inside to escape the chilly rain. "You left," he said, pointing out the obvious. "And your eyes are all puffy. Were you crying?"

Tweek felt his cheeks flush with embarassment. "H-How'd you know that..?" he asked.

Craig shook off his jacket and set it down on the floor. Then, he sat on the bed, waiting a moment before responding. "You're my best friend. it's not that hard to figure out when something's up."

Completely taken by surprise, Tweek's eyes widen and he backed away a bit. "Y..You mean...we're still....." Craig didn't say anything. He just nodded and motioned for Tweek to come closer. With his heart beating faster than ever, the blonde complied, taking a seat next to Craig. Even when they sat down, he towered above him. It was hot, but absolutely terrifying.

"You don't like Bebe," Craig spoke, seeming to analyze Tweek's actions. "And you still get hella nervous around me like you used to. You whine and roll your eyes whenever Bebe's around, but when she's not, you're totally fine. So what's going on, dude?"

"Craig....I..." Tweek started, twiddling his thumbs and staring down at the floor. "I can't...tell you."

Craig hummed to himself, standing up and walking around the room. He started to run his rough fingertips across every little crack and bump on the wall. Yet again, the boy didn't say a word. He was silently thinking again. Tweek wanted to tell him his feelings so bad, but he knew he'd just mess it up. He couldn't compete with the calm and collected attitude Criag possessed. But still, Craig waited.

"I-I just..." Tweek tried to force out. Unexpectedly, Craig whipped around and pressed a finger against Tweek's lips as if to shush him.

"Shh," he let out. "Don't tell me if you're not ready." Tweek was amazed with his friend's impossible ability to read his mind. It was crazy. It drove Tweek insane, but he nodded slowly in response. He expected Craig to leave, but he didn't. He took of his shirt and put it down next to his jacket, collapsing onto Tweek's bed. "I'm sleeping over," he commanded.

"W-What?!" Tweek asked frantically. "B-But...I-"

"Come over here and sleep. It's getting late," Craig continued, stretching one arm out. He made the gesure of wanting to cuddle with Tweek. Tweek's face turned bright red, but he figured that trying to resist would be a bad idea, so he scooted backwards and curled up next to Craig, who swung his long arm around him. Tweek could feel Craig's chest moving up and down with every breath he took. A soft humming escaped his lips before he started singing with that monotone voice of his. Even with the nasaliness, it was enough to lull Tweek into a deep sleep.

 

_I won't let myself become my problem._

_Don't tell me how it's 'sposed to be._

_I'm not getting down on my knees._

_I won't let myself become my problem._

_I've got enough, and I've barely solved 'em._

_Won't let me become my problem._


	7. Kenny's Playroom

"Tweek. Tweek, goddammit, wake up," Craig said with a sigh, shaking Tweek's limp body for the 5th time.

"Mm...ngh!" Tweek groaned in response. He opened one eye, blushing again when he realized the past night hadn't been one of his "dreams" involving Craig. That was a huge relief. He'd fallen asleep to the sweet sound of his voice, and that made him completely well-rested. He hadn't felt like that in what seemed like forever.

"Come on, dude. We've gotta pick up the others for school." Craig was already dresses and was trying to fit into his combat boots. They looked so worn out and used that even he was surprised they hadn't broke on him. Craig's feet, like the rest of him, have outgrown all of his old clothes, but he was cheap like everyone else in town. He wasn't willing to give up a pair of shoes like that.

"H...Huh?" Tweek questioned, tossing his blanket to the side and hopping out of bed. "Why?"

Craig chuckled a little at that. "You brain dead or something? We always use my van," he explained. "Well...except for when Token decides to drive us around in his car."

"Oh..." Tweek yawned. He rubbed his eyes, finally regaining his senses. "Yeah. R-Right."

A bit of light streamed in from the window, which was still open. Some rain managed to get in and wet the carpet, but Tweek ignored it knowing that it would just dry on its own. Craig didn't seem to notice little things like that. He was very focussed on tying the last knot on his boots. Tweek looked down, realizing that he wasn't even ready yet and started to throw on the first clothes he saw.

He felt a little embarrassed changing in front of Craig, not only because he liked him, but because of his body. It was much smaller and weaker compared to Craig's. Tweek's arms and back were riddled with red blotches and scratches, and while they were his own fault, he despised them and tried to cover them.

Craig looked up at the shaking display, raising an eyebrow in Tweek's direction. "Why are you covering yourself up? There's nothing I haven't seen before."

"G-Gah!! Craig-!" Tweek shouted, hiding his face. He didn't know how he could say something like that so easily. "I know that, but...ngh! It's just embarassing!"

Craig hummed to himself, thinking about Tweek's words. "Embarassing," he repeated. "That's dumb."

"Argh! Y-You're dumb!" Tweek forced back. Craig smirked a little and stuck out his tongue. Tweek sighed. He'd definitely lost that battle. As quickly as he could, he finished getting dressed and put on some sneakers. It was cold out, but he didn't have any winter gear, so he just walked towards the door.

"Woah woah woah," Craig started, standing in front of the door. "Don't you have a jacket? Gloves? Anything?" Rats, Tweek thought. Now he would have to explain how his old one got stolen and how he couldn't afford a new one.

"N-No....but it's not a big deal! I can handle the cold," he said, avoiding the honest answer.

"Your parents haven't bought you one," Craig answered himself. Tweek nodded a little, bowing his head in shame. "Uh....okay."

Tweek was completely caught off guard as Craig lifted him up and set him down on the bed. The tall boy got on his knees, removing his own jacket and gently placing it on Tweek's shoulders. When he was finished with this action, he slid off his gloves and put them on Tweek's trembling hands. Tweek kept shaking and trying to refuse, but again, Craig wasn't phased.

"Oh my god, just take them," Craig finished, standing up and helping Tweek to his feet. "I've got another jacket."

"But...Craig, I-"

"We have to pick up the guys."

 

*********

"Gosh, Tweek! We were so worried!" Clyde cried, tears in his eyes as he brought Tweek into a hug. "Are you okay??"

Tweek smiled, hugging him back. "I-I'm okay, Clyde...really..." he said, ruffling the brunette's hair. Clyde eventually pulled away, rubbing his eyes and leaning back in his seat.

"Yeah, Clyde cried for an hour after you left," Token joked.

"What happened, Twitch?" Kenny added in. He got a glare back from Craig, but Tweek started to like that nickname, so it was alright. "Wait, don't tell me...you don't like Bebe, do you?"

"Ugh! F-Fuck, no! God, Kenny!" Tweek sputtered in disgust. That actually made him want to throw up. Him? Like Bebe? No chance in Hell. "No, I don't!"

"Good," Kenny snorted. "Our ol' boy Craig's already got his eyes on her, and Clyde dated her before. We don't need another Bebe worshipper in here."

"Hey," Craig snapped back. "I said I don't know how I feel yet. It's a maybe, asswipe."

"Ooh, a maybe?" Token said. "Is there another girl in the picture?" Craig shook his head, not really answering the question. He didn't speak again until they had to pick Bebe up. When they did, Craig got out of the car and opened the door for her. Tweek stayed completely silent for the rest of the ride, leaning on Clyde's shoulder and allowing him to pet his hair. The attention was nice, but he wished it was Craig.

 

*********

"Hmm....suspicious," Kenny said, sprawling himself out across his couch. The whole group came over to his house after school was over. "You're still driving Bebe around, but you haven't spoken to her all day. Has Craig Tucker become her bottom bitch?"

"Shut the fuck up, Ken," Craig muttered, flipping him off. Kenny only laughed a little before continuing.

"Look dude, I'm just trying to be a good therapist for ya," he said in a sing-song voice. "You're either lying about Bebe, into another chick, or you're gay."

"I'm not fucking gay!" Craig shouted back. Tweek flinched, clinging a little tighter to Clyde's sleeve. It hurt a lot to hear that. He knew Craig wasn't before, but that was a stab to the heart.

"Fine then, I'm calling you bi and that'll be the end of it," Kenny finished, smiling sweetly to himself. Craig sighed very heavily at that, but strangely, he didn't protest. He just slammed his head against the table and lied there.

"Woah, Ken calmed the beast," Clyde smirked. Tweek tilted his head to one side, wondering why this happened. Was Craig really bi? Did he have a chance? Did-

"I'm straight," Craig told the boys. "But I like  _one_ dude. One."

"Daaaamn, I figured it out! He is bi!" Kenny declared. "Let me guess, Ryan Reynolds? He's super hot."

"Ew, no," Craig said, crossing his arms at that. "Fuck your man crushes, dude."

"Hell no, I'm the only one allowed to fuck Kyle," the blonde came back with. Craig made a sour expression and turned away. He hated that this was happening right now. He was being outed in front of his group of closest friends. Tweek, meanwhile, had been hyperventilating the whole time. He was freaking out the most.

"Geez, dude. Why didn't you tell us before?" Token asked. "We're your best friends."

"I couldn't, okay?" Craig answered, his voice being muffled by his sleeves. He was now making an effort to hide his face. "Stop interrogating me, dammit. It's not a big deal."

"He better be pretty," Kenny said, his eyelashes fluttering. Craig groaned loudly into his arms.

"Kenny's a good judge of that," Clyde added. "Look at all the people he's been with. Stan, Kyle, Bebe, Red, Heidi.....well...and Cartman, but he's ugly as shit."

Token suddenly burst out laughing, clutching his hands to his stomach. "You...fucked Cartman?"

"Hey, I had to see what it was like," Kenny retaliated, crossing his arms. "It wasn't great. Glad I've got Mr. Redhead now." Tweek managed to smile a little. Everyone knew Kenny was pansexual since the 6th grade, since he was so open about it. It was really admirable.

"That's gross, you're all gross," Craig mumbled, shaking his head. Everyone laughed at this. He wasn't usually so embarrassed.

"Aw, you're just in denial, beast boy," Kenny chirped.

"So what if I am? Stop with the gay talk," he said back. Finally, Kenny gave up. He began to talk about something else, but Tweek and Craig couldn't focus on anything he said. They had something else on their minds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I just wanted to thank you all for the support this fic's been getting. It means a lot :)  
> There are a lot of chapters to come, so stay tuned. I have a lot of plans for this.


	8. He's A Dickhead

"W...Where are we going, Craig?"

Tweek watched as Craig tightly gripped the steering wheel, his eyes narrowed and staring directly ahead of him. He had a stern but seemingly panicked look on his face. Tweek wondered what could possibly be swimming through his head. Enough to make him not answer his question, so it must've been important.

Everything seemed fine just a few minutes ago, aside from Craig being embarrassed. The whole group was laughing and joking with each other, Kenny got out his guitar and played a few songs, and Tweek was having fun. Then, Craig got a text message and the pair was out of Kenny's house faster than anyone could ask what was wrong.

Tweek frowned, angry at himself for not recognizing what was wrong with his friend. When they were little kids, he always knew. Craig used to hide his injuries given by his dad under baggy clothes, and Tweek was the only one to carry band-aids on him. The two of them were so inseparable that they'd learned everything about each other to a tee. But that was before things got complicated. It was in the early days of playing spaceman and writing endlessly on the walls.

Almost subconsciously, Tweek reached out and gently squeezed Craig's thigh. He wasn't quite sure why he did it, but maybe it was some feeble attempt to calm the boy. He was, after all, very on edge. Physical contact seemed to always work with Craig. This wasn't an exception. He noticed the gesture and was finally able to relax his shoulders. Success, Tweek thought, relieved.

"Thomas hit Ruby again," Craig said, still refusing to call that man his father after all those years. "Bastard doesn't know what's coming to him. You'll back me up, right?"

"G-Gah!! Me?!" Tweek stuttered. "B-But he's-"

"Please, Tweek," Craig begged, shooting Tweek a pleading look. The blonde couldn't remember the last time he looked that desperate. It must've been very serious.

Tweek let out a shaky sigh and turned towards the window. "Fine."

"...Thanks."

 

*********

Craig sped into his driveway and rushed into his house, holding Tweek's hand as tightly as he could. The door flew open and he immediately turned to the red-haired man sitting in the old recliner. He had an angry look and was clearly drunk. The smell of the alcohol wafted out of his mouth and into Tweek's nose when he spoke.

"Dammit, Craig. Where have you been?" Thomas asked, standing up. He eventually shifted his gaze to Tweek, who was still shaking. "Oh God, I thought you were done with that fruity kid."

"What did you do to Ruby?!" Craig demanded, ignoring the comment. "Stop hitting her, dickhead!"

"Fuck off!" Thomas yelled, approaching Craig and firmly slapping him across the face. The blow left a red mark on him and Craig flinched as it stung the flesh. Tweek growled, clenching his fists and standing by Craig's side.

"No, you fuck off!" Craig hissed, clinging to Tweek and running upstairs. "Don't fucking touch my sister again!"

Tweek let go of Craig when he saw the shivering young girl next to the bedroom door. Making sure not to panic her, he carefully lifted her up and took her inside. Craig followed behind, stomping his feet and slamming the door once they were all in.

"R-Ruby, it'll be okay," Tweek said, sitting with her on the bed and gently squeezing her in his arms. She was still crying and shivering, visibly shaken up from the whole situation. Luckily, Tweek knew exactly how to deal with panic attacks like these. "Shhhh...."

"I-I....he..." Ruby let out in a small voice. "He hit me.....he hit me again...he did...."

"God-fucking-dammit!" Craig cursed, landing a swift punch to the wall. "I'll kill that fucker! I'll....." He stopped when he saw his sister curled up next to Tweek's chest. Suddenly, his whole demeanor changed into the one he used whenever Tweek got like that before. He climbed up onto the bed and sat behind Ruby, running his fingers through her hair and taking out the pigtails. A bit of blood oozed onto his hands from her head.

"Craig..." Tweek started, looking at his friend with a concerned face.

Craig didn't say anything. He was very focussed on calming his sister down. The girl had finally stopped shaking, and was brought into an even warmer hug by the two boys. They looked at each other, nodded, and promised something to each other in their heads. They might've come from toxic home lives, but they would be damn sure that this girl got to live a happy life from now on. Ruby deserved that much.

 

*********

Craig wrapped his arms tightly around Tweek as they stood on the blonde's front porch. Tweek was engulfed by the warmth coming from the taller boy's body, and it felt so inviting. "Thanks..." Craig uttered for the second time that night.

"I...It's no problem," Tweek told him with a smile. Craig smiled back and gently patted Tweek's hair. Looking down at his small face, he finally realized that his best friend was the same sweet boy he grew up with. Craig was so guilty for leaving him behind, but so glad that he was back.

"Tweek...I..." Craig started, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I'm sorry. I've been the biggest dickhead ever for the past few years. But uh...it's good to have you back...and stuff."

Tweek laughed genuinely at that. "You dork!" he snorted, playfully punching Craig's arm. "I'm glad I am. See you tomorrow?"

Craig began to look anxious then. Again, he waited a few moments before doing anything, giving himself some time to think. It was those moments that made him so hard to read. Tweek wanted to speak, but Craig didn't allow it. His actions and words were rushed, like he couldn't hold back any longer.

"Fuck it..." he whispered, pinning Tweek against the front door. Then, without warning, he kissed him.

Tweek was completely caught off guard. His face flushed red as he felt Craig's rough hands run down his body and grab his hips. Everything about it was passionate, including the kiss itself. Craig's lips pounded against Tweek's, gently nibbling and licking at them like he was begging for more.

"C-C-Craig..." Tweek managed, tugging at the collar of Craig's shirt. He didn't want the moment to end.

"I'm spending the night again," Craig huffed. "Fuck going to school tomorrow."


	9. The "Other" Guy

Tweek felt like his heart was pounding out of his chest.

He didn't know what he was doing, but Craig was patient. He helped Tweek wrap his arms around his neck and his legs around his waist. Tweek felt slightly cramped in that position, but he didn't mind it because he got to be close to Craig. The pair moved against the wall to maintain their balance, but the jangling sound Craig's keys made when they hit the side of his leg was making Tweek twitch and shake. His mother was a light sleeper. What if she woke up and found them like this?

Craig's eyes darted around, and he realized that they probably couldn't do it in Tweek's bedroom. His parents' room was only one room away. Swiftly, in an attempt to ease Tweek's anxieties, he planted a kiss on his nose. "Bathroom," he muttered.

As they entered the tiny room, Tweek began to feel slightly more panicked. Bebe, he thought. The name echoed over and over again in his mind. She wasn't officially with Craig, but was this considered cheating? And worse, was he considered the "other person"?

"What?" Craig asked, setting Tweek down on the edge of the bathtub. "What's wrong?" His voice came out in a soft purr.

"I-I..." Tweek tried to force the word out. "B-B...Bebe....what if she..." He couldn't manage any more, so he shook his head. His eye twitched and he subconsciously pressed his legs together. Craig frowned at him, taking both of his hands and clutching them to his chest.

"Tweek..." he sighed, not wanting to look him the eye. "I'm straight....but I like  _you._ "

"GAH! W-What?!" Tweek stuttered, his face flaring up. "B-But...you can't be straight and like me at the same time! I'm not a fucking girl! That doesn't make sense! It-"

"Shh..." Craig hushed, kissing Tweek again. He was now kneeling in front of the boy and was very close to him. "One, it would make sense if you were me. Two....who says Bebe has to know?" Tweek looked confused at this proposition, so Craig moved to slowly unbuttoning his shirt and explaining it to him. "If you keep it quiet...it'll make things sooooo much easier. She doesn't have to know about any of this, then you can both be happy."

Tweek shook his head. He didn't want to share Craig with an entitled bitch like her. "N-No..." he muttered. "I can't..." Soon, he felt Craig's lips move from his mouth to his neck. He assumed it was a way of getting him to calm down, and it eventually started to work. The blonde reflexively covered his mouth as he let out a gasp.

"Why not?" Craig asked, trying to stay as patient as possible.

"I....I...." Tweek started, but found himself unable to continue. This was his chance. Even if he had to share Craig with a curly-haired busty bimbo, he could still make him his. He could still experience what he wanted to with Craig. Tweek ended up shaking his head again, refusing to talk anymore. He didn't want to risk waking his parents.

Craig hummed softly to himself and smiled a little. "Good," he chirped. "Good."

 

*********

The pair didn't get as far as Craig thought they would. Tweek kept getting anxious and felt like he wasn't ready, so they just resulted to making out for an hour before Craig carried Tweek to bed. There wasn't a lot of space, so they did what they did before. Tweek slept very close to Craig, almost piling on top of his chest.

For once, Tweek slept soundly. He finally felt complete, like Craig was the missing puzzle piece in his life and he finally fit in it again. Craig's heartbeat against his ear sounded like a soft, gentle hum. It was so peaceful. Tweek smiled, even as he slept.

The boys used to be close, but not as close as they were now. Bebe couldn't ruin this night for them. Even if Craig still liked her, Tweek needed to keep the whole thing quiet. It was his only opportunity to be around the boy from his childhood. No, he was more than that. Craig was the boy Tweek had a craving for. The boy he loved with all of his heart and his being. He loved Craig, no matter how shameful it was, he loved him.

Suddenly, Tweek was awakened with a cold feeling of emptiness. He looked around. A blanket was still wrapped around him, but Craig wasn't underneath him like he was before. "C...Craig?" Tweek called out in a soft voice. He stood up and looked around the room. Craig definitely wasn't there, but his dark blue jacket was laid flat beside the window.

Craig had ran off in the middle of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the lack of updates. School is really kicking my ass right now.  
> Oh well, I hope you enjoyed this one :)


	10. Her Over Him

Tweek ran to the window and clutched Craig's jacket to his chest.

He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry. Why would Craig leave him? He seemed so happy and passionate the night before, but now he left Tweek under the bus. As Tweek squeezed the jacket tighter, though, he saw a small slip of paper fall out of the sleeve. With a shaky hand, Tweek grabbed it and read it to himself.

_Hey. When you wake up, come to my house. I need you there ASAP.  
-Craig_

Oh, Tweek thought with realization. It was probably an emergency, and Craig probably couldn't shake him awake, so he left in a hurry. Suddenly, worry struck through Tweek. Something horrible must've happened. Quickly, he gathered up his clothes and threw Craig's jacket on over them. It was surprisingly warm. Tweek quietly slipped his shoes on and tip-toed through the house. He shivered when he met the cold early-morning air.

It couldn't have been more than 5am, as it was still dark out. Tweek shoved his hands into his pockets and began to walk. The flickering street lamps led him right to Craig's house; A broken home with broken kids and a twisted overseer. Thomas reminded him of an evil dictator, controlling everyone and everything under his rule. Then, he imagined Bebe. Those two were very similar, except for one using brawn and the other using her brains. And her red lipstick. Tweek shook his head, thinking of the marks she'd leave on Craig's cheeks. It was disgusting.

Soon enough, Tweek reached the Tucker residence. He immediately recognized the sounds of shattering glass coming from inside.

 

*********

Tweek had to be incredibly quiet as he snuck through the home. Thomas and Laura were clearly fighting in the kitchen, so it wasn't too hard to reach the stairs, but Tweek was still worried about them finding out about him being here. Luckily for him, the stairs were carpeted, so he could run up them freely. Once he was upstairs, Tweek heard soft crying coming from Craig's room. He quickly realized that it was Ruby and opened the door.

Much to his demise, Bebe was already there, cradling the young girl in her arms and whispering softly to her. Craig looked at Tweek in the doorway and soon felt relieved. Then, he stood up and pulled him inside. "She's been crying for hours. Thomas made her bleed again," he explained, narrowing his eyes.

"I've been trying to cheer her up, but it's not working..." Bebe admitted. Ruby sniffled and looked up at Tweek from where she was, reaching out to him.

"T..That's not what she needs," Tweek told her with a gentle smile, getting closer to Ruby and lifting her up. She rested her head on his shoulder and began to cry more softly. "...She just needs comfort. N-Not problem solving."

Craig smiled, making space for Tweek to sit on the bed. The two of them sat next to each other, and Craig sang a song to keep Ruby from panicking again. "Wow, Tweek. You have a real talent for that," Bebe said, turning away. It was obvious that she was being sarcastic, but Tweek smiled anyway.

"Thanks, Bebe," he replied. "I have some experience with anxiety."

 

*********

After the boys were sure that the school day was over, they headed over to Kenny's house. When the blonde texted them, he seemed excited to show them something. Craig was eager to see what it was. Or who, for that matter, because they soon saw what Kenny meant when they climbed through the front window. Kyle Broflovski was sitting on the couch with his arms crossed.

Kenny seemed to be teasing him, with Clyde laughing and Token trying to get him to stop. It all seemed to be in good fun. However, when Kyle saw Craig, he froze. The tall, lanky, and angry-looking boy was standing right next to the window. Tweek was standing close to him, and seemed to be huddling close to him for warmth. The weirdest pair was back in action.

"Hey, you made it!" Kenny exclaimed, running up to the boys and rustling Tweek's hair. "It's Beauty and the Beast!"

"Fuck off, McCormick," Craig mumbled, flipping him off. Tweek chuckled a little at that, watching as Kenny pointed to the redhead on his couch.

"See that, Twitch?" Kenny pointed out. "That's my nice piece of ass right there. No touching."

"Hey! Stop that, Ken!" Kyle shot back, his face turning a deep red.

"Aww, come on," Kenny pushed, brushing some hair out of Kyle's face and easily grabbing his chin. "I should be able to show you off. Plus, I'm the only one who's seen it. Besides you, of course."

"K...Kenny!" Kyle sputtered, quickly hiding his face. Kenny smirked at the cute gesture. Token smiled, but shook his head.

"You two should get a damn room," Craig yawned, sprawling out on a chair. Tweek sat on the floor close to him. "You talk about fucking him so much, Ken. I wonder if Freckles here is actually a virgin."

"Craig!" Tweek exclaimed, trying very hard not to laugh. The whole situation was just too hilarious to him.

"Well, Freckles?" Craig continued, smirking at the boy.

"I...." Kyle started, looking very embarrassed. "I-I'm not a.....vir...gin..."

"Damn right," Kenny said, wrapping his arm around Kyle with a smile on his face. " Now we've only got two of those: Tweek and Craig."

"Hey, I'm not a virgin, lameass," Craig said quickly. "Don't you remember the 8th grade? Wendy Testaburger?"

"Ohhhhh, right," Kenny recalled. "Stan was so pissed. But hey, that means Tweek's the only virgin! Congrats!"

Tweek shifted his legs back and forth uncomfortably. Just a little while ago in the car, Craig was talking so calmly about what he'd do to him that night. Tweek bit his lip. Just imagining that gave him chills up and down his arms. "Yeah..." he exhaled anyway. "I-I'm the last one."


	11. Nicknames From The Heart

Kyle watched Tweek with a careful eye.

For most of their childhood, he was attached to Craig at the hip. He had an important part in their little group, and he was the one who kept everyone together when Jimmy moved away. He was anxious all the time, and he couldn't handle stress, but he was strong-willed and had a great sense of humor. Kyle liked him, and so did the people who really got to know him. However, Cartman hated Tweek, so the two groups stopped talking in the 5th grade.

Kyle was stuck watching from a distance as everyone pushed Tweek away, including Craig. It was incredibly sad. After him and Stan stopped talking, Tweek was still nice to him. But Kyle, like everyone else, threw the poor boy under the bus. Now he was back. The guilt was, too.

Soon, it got very late, but Kenny insisted that everyone should spend the night. It was Friday, so no one minded. Kenny's parents and siblings were too busy to care anyway. He was the first to pass out, followed by Token, Clyde, and Craig. Kyle pretended to sleep, but left one eye open so he could see what Tweek was up to.

The blonde was sitting on the couch, and he seemed to be drinking from a metal travel mug. His careful hands suggested that it was coffee. Kyle smiled. The one thing Tweek used to be addicted to, and it seemed to persist.

"Coffee?" Kyle questioned, sitting up. Tweek jumped back, nearly dropping it.

He stared at Kyle for a few seconds before managing a few words. "Y...Yeah...I always carry some around,"

Kyle laughed a little. "Old habits die hard."

"I-I guess...." Tweek muttered, turning away. What's his deal? he wondered.

Kyle sighed. He wasn't getting anywhere like this. Slowly, being careful not to wake Kenny, he stood up and sat next to Tweek. He made sure to stay at a safe distance. "Look dude....I'm-"

"If you're gonna say sorry, save it," Tweek said, refusing to look at him. "Y-You should've done that a long t-time ago, Kyle."

 

*********

"Sorry guys, but i've gotta hit the road," Token announced once everyone was up. He was already dressed and ready to leave. Clyde rubbed his eyes, frowning at his friend and standing up to hug him.

"Awww, why?" he whined. "We were all gonna watch movies and plan Kenny's Christmas party!"

"Sorry, dude," Token apologized, patting the brunette's hair. "Nichole wants to go out today. I can't pass this up."

"Tsk tsk tsk," Kenny scoffed, turning away dramatically with a flip of his hair. "Abandoning your friends for a chick. How rude, Token."

"Bros before hoes, man," Clyde continued, his lip quivering. Token sighed, but continued to walk out the door anyway.

"I'm sorry, guys. I've wanted to go out with her for years. See ya later, though!" The boy was out the door before they could protest any longer. Clyde was still very upset, but Craig shrugged it off, still being very groggy and tired. Tweek laughed a little at the display. Oh well. At least Token would finally have the girl of his dreams. Kenny forgot the situation quickly to go back to clinging to Kyle. The redhead had fallen back asleep, or at least he was trying to. His cheeks were bright red as he tried to ignore his nagging boyfriend.

"Ken..." he mumbled, trying to shake Kenny off of him. "I need sleep..."

Kenny pouted, but eventually gave up. "Fine," he said, standing up and sitting on the couch. "Now it's just Twitch, Beast Boy, Waterworks," he continued, listing off nicknames. He uttered the final one with a smirk. "And yours truly, Mr. Stud Muffin himself."

'McCormick, you are far from a Stud Muffin," Craig yawned. "You're a 6 outta 10 at most."

"Owch! My heart!" Kenny cried, clutching his hands to his chest. "What do you think, Twitch?"

"4 o-outta 10," Tweek snickered. Kenny frowned, displeased.

Kyle chuckled, listening in. "Oh, c'mon guys..." he muttered in a tired voice. "He's at least an 8. Bonus points for his hair."

Kenny smiled. Finally, an answer that pleased him. He was in a good mood now, so he kicked his feet up on the rickety coffee table. Craig got a whiff of his feet and turned away in disgust. "So," Kenny began again. "Christmas. The time for giving and Clyde's delicious brownies."

"I'm more than that brownie recipe, you know..." Clyde muttered.

Craig smiled. "Sure you are, dude. And I'm more than sarcasm and piercings."

Clyde bowed his head in defeat, but let out a laugh. Craig won that argument, as he did with most he got into.

"Y-You guys...still do t-things for Christmas?" Tweek asked.

"Yep." Craig's answer was quick and half-assed.

"Uh huh!" Clyde exclaimed. "We still have our own little party. We watch shitty Christmas movies and eat snacks. Kenny sometimes takes out his guitar and we sing songs around a bonfire. It's super fun!"

Tweek looked down, nervous. He always spent Christmas locked up in his bedroom, fearing the relatives that came to visit. Their own little party seemed fun, but he wasn't used to things like that. Maybe, though, since they would be alone, just as friends...

"You're going. I wanna hang out with you," Craig said. Kenny looked a little surprised, but was happy with Craig's sudden enthusiasm.

"We all do, Twitch! It's gonna be cool as hell."

And that was that. For the first time in years, Tweek would be attending a Christmas party. It was terrifying.


	12. Something In Common

"Shit....Ken, get off of me..."

Suddenly, Kyle sprang out from underneath his blankets and started packing up. Kenny was confused. "Huh? Why the sudden change of heart?"

Kyle looked at Kenny, who's eyelashes were fluttering, making him look extra sad. The redhead sighed and gave him a quick hug. "It's not a change of heart. Ike's just...alone over there again. I've gotta check on him."

"Aw...poor little guy," Clyde whimpered from where he was. Kyle was pretty sure he even saw Craig frown.

"Your little brother?" Craig asked.

"Yeah....my parents leave him alone quite a bit, believe it or not. I just...hope he's okay."

"We're all going with you," Craig concluded, grabbing Tweek's hand and tugging him along. "Come on, I'll drive. Just hurry the fuck up." Tweek blinked in surprise. So it wasn't just Ruby. Craig had a soft spot in his heart for kids. Tweek smiled, finding that extremely cute. Another side to the boy he never truly knew about.

"Craig, you don't have to do that..." Kyle muttered. He really didn't want help from Craig if it was just out of pity. Much like Tweek, he hated pity.

"Well maybe I want to, okay? Shit, man..." Craig snapped, feeling resentment for having to justify himself. "Look, it's not a big deal. After we pick him up, I'll go get Ruby. Ken can bring Karen downstairs and all of them can play together...or something."

"L-Let him do this, Kyle..." Tweek pleaded. "Craig r-really cares about kids. He can h-help." Craig flashed him a look of thanks, then turned back to Kyle. The redhead really didn't want to protest any longer, so he slid his jacket on and obeyed. Kenny and Clyde followed after them, and the group piled into the van.

 

*********

"When did Ike text you?" Kenny asked, clearly concerned.

Kyle whipped out his phone and checked the time. Seeing what it was, he frowned. "Over an hour ago."

They were sitting outside of Kyle's house. Craig insisted that him and Tweek go alone, and they were able to sneak in through Ike's window. However, the pair hadn't been seen in over 20 minutes. Did something bad happen? Kyle shivered at the thought and started to sweat. If Craig hurt his brother.....

He didn't have to think about that for long, because soon enough, the monster of a boy came out. He was cradling Ike in his arms, who was visibly shaken up from something. Tweek opened the van's door and allowed Ike to crawl on his brother's lap. He smiled to himself. Bebe wouldn't catch herself dead caring for Kyle's brother, but here they were.

Kyle wrapped his arms around Ike, mouthing a small "thank you" to the boys. Craig nodded, and the both of them hopped back into the front seats. The rest of the morning was just as eventful. Clyde went to get Ruby instead of Tweek, but that was because he started crying about wanting to greet her first. Tweek eventually gave up and let him take care of it.

It felt so weird. Tweek was sitting next to Craig, "The Beast" as Kenny would call him, as he drove around with 2 literal  _children_ in his car. Subconsciously, Tweek leaned his head on Craig's shoulder. They had to make a few more stops to get snacks for the little ones, but the blonde just wanted to feel Craig against him once more. It was a little thank you for being so caring.

And Tweek guessed that he understood, because as he was falling asleep, he caught the supposed Beast flashing him a smile.

 

*********

"Ruby! Ike!" Karen exclaimed, running down the stairs to greet her friends in a hug. Kenny smiled. The little girl hadn't seen them in a while, since they were already on winter break. Lucky kids, Kenny thought.

"Hi!" Ike replied with a lighthearted grin.

"Hey, Karen..." Ruby said timidly. She couldn't really force herself to smile, and Karen's compassion helped her realize this almost immediately. Much like her brother would when consoling his boyfriend, she pulled her friends to the side. Kenny smiled at her actions. It was sweet, really. Karen was such a kind girl.

Tweek and Craig looked sad, almost drained as they sat there on Kenny's couch. They couldn't believe what they saw go down in the Broflovski home. Maybe they should've before, but there was a side to Sheila that they hadn't seen before. Sure, she was always hot-headed, but it was different that time.

In their heads, they mutually decided that Kyle couldn't find out about what happened to Ike. It was far too horrific.

Suddenly, Craig pulled Tweek into a side hug, his warmth consuming the smaller boy. "Thank you," he whispered.

Tweek blinked, not quite understanding. "For what?"

"You're good with kids," Craig continued, always using the same tone, no matter how powerful his words were. "I'm not. Even Clyde's better than me, but I guess you can say....you inspire me to try harder."

"M...Me?" Tweek questioned. "I'm n-not inspiring, Craig...."

"Bullshit," Craig muttered, looking over at Clyde. The brunette was sitting next to Kenny, playing with the kids. Their little conversation seemed to be over. "You inspire me every day, you always have. I was just too cowardly to admit it."

Craig's words hit Tweek like bullets to his heart. It was so comforting, but it hurt like hell.

What was that word?

As Tweek's face reddened, he gripped tightly to Craig's hand and allowed him to play with his hair. So many emotions filled him at once, ones he hadn't known to be real since they were children. "C-Coffee..." he whispered, noticing he hadn't had any in a while. Craig nodded, pulling the travel mug out of Tweek's backpack and handing it to him. Tweek took a sip. The drink was very cold now, but it still calmed his nerves. The caffeine lingered, but the sugar seemed to be missing. It wasn't like the strong flavor of black coffee or decaf, though.

"Bittersweet," Tweek murmured. That was the word. Craig's love and the icy coffee were bittersweet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I had to take a break from this! Finals are coming up, and I've had to study a lot lately. Hopefully I'll have more time during break;;;


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